Mario Diaz de Leon

The worlds of metal and experimental music have been cross-pollinating for at least 25 years now—take John Zorn’s late-’80s and early-’90s pursuits, to name a prominent NYC example—but in recent years, with the rise of Sunn O))) and like-minded groups, that overlap has evolved into its own self-sustaining subscene. Among those leading that charge locally is this composer-guitarist, who bundles noise, drone and contemporary-classical strategies into his forbidding aural constructions; recording and performing both as Oneirogen and under his own name, Diaz de Leon summons an unmistakably metallic atmosphere, while jettisoning the genre’s familiar forms.

What defines NYC metal?

"Metal past: L'Amour in Brooklyn. I moved here in 2003, so I never went there, but it's fun to imagine everything that happened there in the ’80s and ’90s. Today, the Acheron and Saint Vitus are both great places where you can get a sense for the diversity of the scene."

Users say

What does Eddie Trunk have to do with NYC Metal?........... He doesnt support True Metal..... You will never see people like him or Jose Mangin (Sirious XM) at any real shows...... only those corporate backed tours and such..... Eddie Trunk and That Metal Show wouldve been cool many years ago.... in todays terms, way outdated......... Everyone else featured in this article has my respect for sure............ Ultimate Salutes to Fred Passero, Colin Marston, Immolation and all the pure gentlemen associated with Saint Vitus Bar............... Horns Up